Legal battle over kidnap row girl

The parents of a 12-year-old British girl at the centre of an abduction row are on course for a legal battle after she revealed she had gone to Pakistan voluntarily.

Molly Campbell disappeared from her home in the Western Isles last Friday amid fears she had been kidnapped.

But speaking in Lahore, Molly said she had gone of her own free will. Both parents said they would fight to to have Molly live with them.

In a statement issued by solicitors Balfour and Manson, her mother Louise Campbell, her legal guardian, said: "We are acting in the best interests of the child and we're doing all we can to secure Molly back. We're pursuing the proper lines to get Molly back."

However Molly's father, Sajad Ahmed Rana, has also hired a legal team to fight for her.

"We are preparing for a legal guardian lawsuit for her father and will proceed for interim custody and then for guardianship," said family lawyer Mohammed Basit.

A massive investigation was launched after it emerged the girl had flown to Pakistan with her sister and father.

Speaking at a press conference, Molly said she had asked her older sister to take her to Pakistan.

Also known as Misbah Iram Ahmed Rana, the schoolgirl said: "It was my own choice. I asked my sister if I could go. I went with my sister. I would like to stay in Pakistan with my father and my name isn't Molly, it is Misbah.

"I knew that my mum would miss me, but I miss my family. It was hard to not see my family and I had to live with my mum and I wanted to live with my family. I thought I could live with my dad and I could still see my mum."